Percival Everett’s James won the Pulitzer Prize. The movie Wicked generated more than $700 million at the box office. Young Sherlock was a hit. What do these works have in common? Each reimagines characters from earlier works that have fallen into the public domain, allowing anyone to create new stories featuring them. In this presentation, Bruce Rule will explore when writers can legally use characters and settings created by someone else, as well as the benefits and challenges of doing so. He will tap into his own experience of writing a Sherlock Holmes novel for Titan Books, as well as examining the many ways established characters have been reinterpreted for new audiences. This will be a hybrid meeting, with in-person and online options for attendance.

Bruce Rule’s novel, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Debutante Detective,” debuted July 7, 2026, from U.K. publisher Titan Books. He also wrote two how-to books: “Heartfelt Goodbye: How to Write and Deliver the Eulogy Your Loved One Deserves” and “Speaking with Confidence: How to Find Your Voice at Work.” A veteran journalist with decades of experience on three continents, he is also an award-winning public speaker. He lives in Lewes, Delaware.

Zoom link for online Annapolis Chapter meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtcuCgpz8jE9EpbkrjLEjaRCD2QlHOJ62q

For more information email:[email protected]